Three weeks into free agency, the casual fan could be forgiven for thinking that the list of available players is bereft of useful pieces. That isn’t the case, and for some roles – in particular the veteran third-line centre role the Oilers need to fill – there are still a bunch of players who might fit the bill.

I’ve excluded Mike Peca from this group because of his quick departure from Edmonton after his last stint with the club (he didn’t like the travel). I’ve also excluded some fourth-line types who could very well be of interest to the Oilers (Mike Zigomanis, Blair Betts, Boyd Devereaux, Chris Gratton, Marcel Goc). All of those guys would come relatively cheap, and could help address the holes on the penalty-kill (in other words, I hope the Oilers are at least kicking the tires) but expecting them to step in and fill the third-line role may be asking too much (just as it might be to ask Pouliot, Brule or Cogliano to fill the role). A pair of other players (Rob Niedermayer and Andy Hilbert) were ignored because they play wing.

Here’s the list of four, presented in reverse order of their expected price tag:

Mike “Suitcase” Sillinger has played for twelve NHL teams over the span of an 18-year career. He’s been remarkably durable for the majority of that time, up until February of 2008 when he suffered a hip injury that has derailed much of the last two seasons. In the seven seasons prior to suffering that injury, he’d missed a total of 30 games.

When last we saw him, Sillinger was a gifted two-way centre who combined defensive ability with goal-scorer’s hands (he’s never had less than a 12.1 SH% since 2000). He’d be an ideal fit – if he’s still the same player he was before the hip injury. At this point, the injury and age combine to make Sillinger a gamble – he probably will be forced to either accept a training camp tryout or a low money contract to get an NHL shot.

Radek Bonk

Radek Bonk has been passed over on the Predators penalty-kill (given that Nashville already had established options in Legwand, Fiddler and Nichol), although he has been effective in that role elsewhere (he led Montreal in short-handed ice-time in 2006-07). He combines size with some offensive ability.

Bonk has reportedly been approached by KHL clubs, but I imagine the security of a multi-year NHL contract would keep him in North America. He’s on of the game’s best face-off men, and is well-qualified to anchor the third line.

It’s been a rough summer for Moore, who turned down a two year, 3.4 million dollar contract from the Maple Leafs, but hasn’t been seriously pursued in free agency. His price-tag, which was once rumoured to be in the 2 MM/year range, has likely dropped as a result.

That said, Moore may not be the best option. He’s a tireless worker and a good penalty-killer, but his offense was likely a one-off and he doesn’t have the frame that the Oilers need down the middle (given that they already have a ton of smallish centres). I like Moore, but I think Bonk or Malhotra would be a better fit. Also, unlike most of the players on this list, Dominic Moore didn’t play in a checking role last season – he played on an offensive line for the Leafs.

Manny Malhotra

Malhotra is hands-down the best qualified player for the Oilers third-line position, but his price tag has kept him from being signed until now. He’s big and plays a relatively physical game, plus he’s a good skater. On top of that he’s a good faceoff man and an experienced penalty-killer.

The only downside to Malhotra is a limited offensive game, and that previously mentioned price-tag.

Jonathan Willis is a freelance writer.
He currently works for Oilers Nation, Sportsnet, the Edmonton Journal and Bleacher Report.
He's co-written three books and worked for myriad websites, including Grantland, ESPN, The Score, and Hockey Prospectus. He was previously the founder and managing editor of Copper & Blue.

With the cap troubles we have and the cap going down I would be scared to sign any player to a multi-year contract, as much as I like the Malhotra option I really think it is something the Oilers cant afford to do unless they sign him for 1 year.
I would prefer to see the Oilers grab a young face-off/defensive style forward from Europe or the AHL who perhaps hasn't made the big show yet due to depth in the position on the main team.
If we have players like Omark who will only come over if they can play in the NHL then I am cerain other teams must have the exact same type of players. There has to be one to fit our need.

As Brownlee has mentioned, wouldn't a trade be more desired than any free agent signing. I say we call up our old friend Scott Howson and strike a deal for Vermette. He's been top 6 in the league the last 2 yrs at the dot, plays PP and PK, and is listed as both C and LW. I know he costs more (2.76M), but he brings so many different dynamics, I think he's definitely a target we should be looking at. He's also credited with more hits last year than any option mentioned above.

godot10 wrote:
The Oilers cannot sign or add another forward to a contract longer than 1-year without a forward going out.
Thus, the Oilers will have to wait till September to get their man on a one year deal.
That’s idiculous.

I agree with the majority that Malholtra is the best of the 5 listed; however, given cap issues, etc. I would go with either Chris Gratton or Radek Bonk as both are big bodies (6'4 & 6'3 respectively) and both are former top 6 forwards so are used to alot of ice time.

I really think we need a big body down the middle and both of these guys are excellent in the faceoff dot and PK. Personally, I would go with Gratton just cause he will drop the gloves if need be and if there is an injury to one of the 2 top centers he could be a short term fill in. I was surprised to find out he just turned 34 this month when it seems like he has been around forever.

I was going to say that I wouldn't dismiss Goc so quickly, just because he's fairly young and has never really had the chance to be more than a 4th liner in San Jose. But Goc isn't all that big, and the Oilers so desperately need another forward with some size. Even if it's Bonk, who's not exactly the most physical of players, he's still a decent size. Same with Chris Gratton, even if he does look like he's incapable of more than a 4th line role at this stage of his career.

At least if you had a big, veteran guy who's good on faceoffs on the 4th line like Gratton it would ease some of the problems they'll have if they try once again to force someone ill-suited to the role like Cogliano, Pouliot or Brule into that third line spot again.

Sillinger was a guy I was really pushing for last year (I even got chewed up across the net for suggesting they trade Schremp for him), but with his recent injuries and age, I just don't think he's going to be able to contribute much anymore. I think his days as an NHLer are all but done.

I like your thinking, and also like Vermette, but think it would be at least as hard to pry Vermette away from Columbus as it would be to pry Steckel away from Washington. One thing that might make it more viable is the Jackets' signing of Pahlson, as there is some overlap of skill sets between the two.

Who would the Oilers realistically have to offer up to get him, though? As I suggested in a comment section yesterday, Cogliano looks like a commodity with some value who (I think) is a bit overrated, and is also somewhat redundant on Edmonton's roster (as the second 2nd line centre behind Gagner). He looks to be a good fit on his way out somewhere, and getting a top notch 3rd line centre might be a good trade.

I'd also be happy to package him up with another roster player for a prolific LW like Simon Gagne. I know it's tough to send away somebody like Cogs who might bust out, but I just don't see where he fits on this team in the long term.

@ Andrew W
Cogliano might be a good bargaining chip, but I think CLB needs more on the right side or defense. Being that we're strong on defense, maybe we send Gilbert or Grebeshkov or Smid+.
I definitely think this has merit though, as CLB has guys that can fill the void Vermette leaves at both C or LW. It's a win-win.

Does anyone think it might just be best to use Brule/Poo in the 3C role knowing they will get killed, knowing we will lose games because of it but also knowing we will get a good draft pick next year and that a veteran 3C isn't going to make us a contender this year anyways?

Despite what many think, I am a firm believer in Horcoff as a legitimate number 1 centre. If, a year or two down the road, Gagner is able to challenge him for this role, he can't slide further down the charts than 2nd line centre. Where is the room for Cogliano, then? I simply don't think he's third line material due to his size, lack of defensive prowess and faceoff skills, nor do I see him displacing either of the other two on the top two lines down the middle. As for playing him on RW (I'm fairly sure he's not comfortable at LW), it's a real possibility, but he has struggled there, and his lack of size is an issue in that position, too. Especially on this team.

Please, don't interpret this to mean that I'm undervaluing him: he'll probably become a very useful 2nd line centre. That's just not a role that the Oilers need help at in the foreseeable future, so why not trade him for somebody that fills our needs?

Can you verify if it's LW or RW that Cogliano is better suited to? My recollection is that he was playing the right side, but I had to listen to more games on the net last season than I could watch, so I may be mistaken.

@ Andrew W
Cogliano might be a good bargaining chip, but I think CLB needs more on the right side or defense. Being that we’re strong on defense, maybe we send Gilbert or Grebeshkov or Smid+.
I definitely think this has merit though, as CLB has guys that can fill the void Vermette leaves at both C or LW. It’s a win-win.

I'm thinking we are getting a little to wound up in this third line center stuff. Would you trade Gilbert or Grebs for Stoll?

@ misfit:
When, though? Five years down the line?
Despite what many think, I am a firm believer in Horcoff as a legitimate number 1 centre. If, a year or two down the road, Gagner is able to challenge him for this role, he can’t slide further down the charts than 2nd line centre. Where is the room for Cogliano, then? I simply don’t think he’s third line material due to his size, lack of defensive prowess and faceoff skills, nor do I see him displacing either of the other two on the top two lines down the middle. As for playing him on RW (I’m fairly sure he’s not comfortable at LW), it’s a real possibility, but he has struggled there, and his lack of size is an issue in that position, too. Especially on this team.
Please, don’t interpret this to mean that I’m undervaluing him: he’ll probably become a very useful 2nd line centre. That’s just not a role that the Oilers need help at in the foreseeable future, so why not trade him for somebody that fills our needs?

5 years from now, Cogliano could be our #1 center. Stoll was our 2nd line center after only 1 season in the NHL (and the lockout year in the AHL) where he didn't even have great numbers. Just because Cogs isn't good in the faceoff circle, it doesn't mean he can't play center. He's developing just fine. Gagner, like most centermen, is better in the middle, but unlike a lot of centermen, he can also play wing, so why are we not discussing that possibility? It's certainly more palatable than losing a trade (Cogliano for Vermette) and still not fixing the problem.

@ Jonathan Willis:
Can you verify if it’s LW or RW that Cogliano is better suited to? My recollection is that he was playing the right side, but I had to listen to more games on the net last season than I could watch, so I may be mistaken.

The Oilers cannot sign or add another forward to a contract longer than 1-year without a forward going out.

If the Oilers can get a useful piece cheap, right now, it makes more sense to sign him long-term. Bonk, as one example, could be a mid-term (2-3 years) solution on the third line and if he'd take something in the 1.25MM range he'd be a bargain at that price.

That comment might've made more sense if I wasn't trying to make multiple edits on the fly without actually reading it afterward.

The main points I was trying to make there were:
- Cogliano could be our #2C this coming year and do just fine. He could develop into much more down the road too.
- Why trade Cogliano because you can't play him on the wing when you have other guys who can?
- Vermette may have killed penalties for Ottawa, but we also need someone to play a defensive role at ES, which Vermette isn't suited for (especially at close to $3M).
- Cogliano for Vermette is a poor value trade (IMO at least).

That comment might’ve made more sense if I wasn’t trying to make multiple edits on the fly without actually reading it afterward.
The main points I was trying to make there were:
- Cogliano could be our #2C this coming year and do just fine. He could develop into much more down the road too.
- Why trade Cogliano because you can’t play him on the wing when you have other guys who can?
- Vermette may have killed penalties for Ottawa, but we also need someone to play a defensive role at ES, which Vermette isn’t suited for (especially at close to $3M).
- Cogliano for Vermette is a poor value trade (IMO at least).

I'd be willing to bet that if Vermette had been here for 3-4 years and it was Lowe that gave him that 2.75/contract everyone would be begging and pleading for him to be trade for peanuts to "rid him of the contract".

jt35 wrote:
@ Ogden Brother:
I agree, might be a bit much. I was going to add another prospect/pick coming back from them for Gilbert or Grebs, but do we really need any more contracts right now.
We are getting a little to wound up with the contract #’s as well.

Have to agree, we have what 4 open spots right now. It's not like we are going to be filling all of those spots anytime soon.

ANDREW & JW - Pretty sure Cogs will play RW, if the organization doesn't want to have another Cole fiasco. If you watch Cogs almost all of his rushes start from that side and he seems much more comfortable shooting from his off wing.

Th big question for me is why did Gags play RW with Cogs at Center on the kid line 2 years ago? We knew then that Gags was a better FO guy.
I actually really like the idea of Cogs on Gagner's wing, I think it would be similar to Cole (Speed wise and he would draw lots of PIMs). My concern is who plays LW with them, I really like Patty O but not on this line and Penner is too slow and not physical enough. I am inclined to say that Jacques may be the best option (Size & Speed) which scares me, although he dis show that he can score in JR & the A.

Could Patty O be the 1st line LW or the 3rd line C?

27-10-83
22-89-13
18-19-34
12-78/67-46

Prefer to deal 12 & 78 and find a Glencross Type for the 4th line LW spot or maybe sign Taylor Pyatt and flip him and JFJ, depending on who performs better with Cogs and Gags.

@ Ogden Brother:
I'd take vermmette is a heart beat! He's fast, wins face-offs and hits! I've always liked him.
Heres a trade to think about.... what about semin from washington? He's what 5.5 mill a year. a lefty and he can score! Do you think that if we offered cogs, penner and smid or just two of the guys we could get him.

@ Ogden Brother:
I’d take vermmette is a heart beat! He’s fast, wins face-offs and hits! I’ve always liked him.
Heres a trade to think about…. what about semin from washington? He’s what 5.5 mill a year. a lefty and he can score! Do you think that if we offered cogs, penner and smid or just two of the guys we could get him.

Surely not. I don't think Washington would give him up unless we are talking Hemsky plus.

I got the gist of what you wrote the first time around, and understand more clearly the second time.

You may be right that Cogs could develop into the 2nd line centre with Gagner on the wing, and also right that his struggles at the dot don't mean that he can't play the position. I think that pushing Gagner out of his natural position - where he is better in most ways and with more upside than Cogs - is another type of risk altogether, though. What would have happened to Doug Gilmour if he'd been forced to play the wing for a few years early in his career? IMO, Gagner is already projecting to be an all-star centre, maybe along the same kind of career path. Cogliano? Maybe, but less likely...

I agree that trading Cogliano for Vermette straight up would be foolish, too, although less so for Steckel, at least based on the small sample I saw of him in the playoffs. He would be loved in Edmonton, despite not having much to contribute offensively.

Anyway, even if Vermette or Steckel aren't the right players to come back, I'm still toying with the idea that Cogliano might be a better asset to trade than to use since his name came up in all of the Heatley nonsense. I appreciate your responses to these ideas, and am curious: is there anybody that you can think of who would be a good return for him that suits the Oilers' needs better, or do you simply think that he's a blue chipper that can't be dealt away no matter what? I'm with Brownlee about Dustin Brown, for example, and would ship out Cogs and Smid in a hearbeat for him, or Sourey (as Brownlee suggests).

I just don't like the idea of trading Cogliano to adress a need when you can fill it just as well, or better, in the UFA market without having to give up anyting (like a 22 year old 40+ point centerman who makes just over $1M). By no means is Cogliano untouchable, but that also doesn't mean we should be actively shopping him either. You just don't move a player like that unless you have to, or someone else is offering something you can't say no to.

I'm very curious as to what you see in Hilbert. Other than the underwhelming stats at nhl.com (5'11", 38.2 f/o%, 27 pts), I don't know anything about him. The Islanders aren't I team I've payed much attention to, and it's hard to imagine that any of their cast-offs would be useful.

He's played against first and second lines for three years, starting in his own end, and hasn't been killed despite the fact that everyone else on the team has been.

That's exactly what you look for in a defensive forward.

He's a complimentary player offensively, but I'm not looking at a big role or anything: just a 4th line player capable of moving up the lineup when injuries hit. Most of the current crop of 4th line types are going to need to live up to potential just to keep from drowning in that role; with Hilbert there's no gambling involved.

I just don’t like the idea of trading Cogliano to address a need when you can fill it just as well, or better, in the UFA market without having to give up anyting (like a 22 year old 40+ point centerman who makes just over $1M).

I was under the impression that the Oilers DIDN'T want to trade Cogliano. The exception being that he was probably the closer piece in the Heatley offer. Now, trading him is becoming more accepted every day. That's just not right.

As far as I see it, his biggest problem is the guys he's being forced to play with. I can't believe Moreau and Pisani are the best fit for his skill, creativity and speed. Given that Nilsson knows this is his last at bat, I'd almost want to see the reformation of the kid line.

The trouble is we have too many top 6 forwards who are small in stature.
If you start signing other players into those spots without moving some of them first you then cut into their playing time which makes them disgruntled which gives you an even wider range of problems

I just don’t like the idea of trading Cogliano to adress a need when you can fill it just as well, or better, in the UFA market without having to give up anyting (like a 22 year old 40+ point centerman who makes just over $1M). By no means is Cogliano untouchable, but that also doesn’t mean we should be actively shopping him either. You just don’t move a player like that unless you have to, or someone else is offering something you can’t say no to.

Bingo, trade one of our most marketable pieces for something that we can just sign for free? No thanks.

The trouble is we have too many top 6 forwards who are small in stature.
If you start signing other players into those spots without moving some of them first you then cut into their playing time which makes them disgruntled which gives you an even wider range of problems

Regardless of the forwards most posters would prefer, the Oilers have to subtract contracts to add to their roster. It has been recognized they can do this through trades, however, what about putting players on waivers to test the opportunity to rid contracts and get some cap room? I realize this doesn't give value for assets, but what is the priority? It could get the club an needed fourth line centre and address Tambellini's objectives as outlined in the media conference that announced the firing of MacTavish. Going to training camp with the present roster is a recipe for missing the playoffs, again. In the meantime, our adversary to the south, the Flames, keep improving their team. How do they do this and the Oilers braintrust seemingly can't?

Totally off topic,
but i think that the Oil should go after Bertuzzi aswell..
I think if we can trade some assets to fill our 3rd line centre spot (maybe nilson), bertuzzi would fit nice with gagner on the second line. Hes still got great hands and brings grit to the lineup.
He's cheap too, we should jump on it.